About this project

Our storyWe are foodies, bloggers, writers, wine and beer buffs, young and naive. We are artists with a dream. We are Pelicon Brewery, a startup family craft brewery located in Ajdovščina (sounds like Out-of-China), on the West side of Slovenia. Right next to Italy, an hour away from many Europe’s most exciting cities!Beer is our passion. We want to infect everyone with enthusiasm for this ancient beverage. We want to share the knowledge and the desire. Our dream is to create a product for people to love and enjoy. Since Matej’s trip to UK, he was not able to think of any other thing but craft beer. He devoted his life to it. He’s read a ton of beer books, developed recipes and tried out as many recipes as possible. Word has it, that in his early years he refused to work on the same brew recipe more than once.

What have we accomplished so far?

Our story and Matej’s talent earned the trust of one of the most successful enterprises in our region, SK Group. They trusted us with equipment worth many thousands of pounds without asking for anything else but some beer, constructive feedback and collaboration. We’ve won the hearts of many friends on the way, who agreed to help us reach our goal. Basically, everyone loved the idea of a local craft beer so much that they joined Matej in crowdfunding campaign - no questions asked, no payment wanted. Except the beer! Of course!

Our Mission We are lucky enough to work with the best brew equipment manufacturer in Slovenia, SK Group. We’ll be working with their engineers and use their know-how. Working together, we’ll gather information and develop better craft brewing equipment for the EU and USA market. This way, we’ll be able to make high quality brews.

Pelicon Brewery will focus on using the best ingredients on the market. We’ll work with local hop, fruit and vegetable farmers and use their knowledge and research. We’ll be based in Out-of-China near good water sources. We’ll move towards more sustainable methods and waste reducing methods. On the way to join our team, we'll gather professionals and passionate individuals.With your help, we’ll be able to launch our own beer brand in the beginning of 2013. In the next 2 years, we intend to grow steadily and become a competitive Slovenian brewery. This will help us grow a new economic hope for our region and put Out-of-China on the craft brew map!

What is your job?To make our project come true, we’re seeking to raise 12.000 £ within a 33-day time period. Every bit counts and we’re more than grateful for any amount contributed to our project! Kickstarter works really easy - you back our project with the amount of money of your choice - it’s like shopping online. Kickstarter is “all-or-nothing” model and in order to get the money we need to reach the FULL AMOUNT we seek. If we meet our goal by the end of the 33-day period, you get charged and you also receive the rewards. All of our graphic, fashion and jewellery designers and illustrators worked hard to make unique and exclusive edition rewards for you! You CAN change your mind during the 33-day period and change the amount of contribution you want to give. If we don’t meet our goal you don’t get charged. No money will be taken from your account in that case.Meeting the goal of 12.000 £ means much more to us than just the money! You’ll show us your trust and by that we’ll show other institutions, banks and possible inventors that people love our idea and we’ll be eligible for other options - say bank loans, better and just deals. This would shoot Pelicon Brewery right up toward the stars! We can’t do it without you! Back us up & spread the word - turn your iPhones, iPads, tablets and Androids ON and tell everyone!

How we’ll spend your funds?Smaller half of all will be used for Kickstarter fees, transaction fees, tax and the production of prizes and shipping. The smallest portion will be used for different analysis of ingredients included in our recipes and beer at the institute for beer and hops, as well as for legal papers. The majority of funds will be used to purchase the ingredients, glass bottles, caps, packaging, gas money and middle man fees.

Who is behind Matej?This project is governed with the help of Tine, Matej’s girlfriend
Anita, their families and a ton of friends from different professional
fields.

If you have any additional questions or comments don't hesitate to email us at info@pivovarnapelicon.com

We'd like to thank EVERYONE that contributed to the project. So many showed the support and put their hearts in it - we couldn't have done it without you! We'll be grateful forever!

Pelicon Brewery Team

Risks and challenges

There's a chance of delay because of bureaucracy. But this is why brewing business is made from three important parts - patience, patience, patience!

Craft beer is a live product and many things can go wrong. Especially when you are a start-up on a commercial scale. It may happen that we'll be forced to make the beer all over again - to make sure it tastes the way we want to.
Fortunately, we'll have the help from SK Group, their engineers & professionals with a long line in brewing business, the support of national institutes and other hops and brewing scientists who are more that happy to help us out in situations like this.

At the beginning we'll distribute the beer by ourselves until we'll find a distributor. We already have a lot of interest in our product from all over the country. There are many bars and restaurants waiting for us and therefore we are very confident with initial number of consumers.

Our family and colleagues have a long tradition of wine making & beverage business. We'll be able to lean on their knowledge and experience in case of any other unexpected trouble and challenges.

FAQ

Unfortunatley Kickstarter forbids rewards that contain alcohol or food. Also, there could be problems with shipping beer to the USA. Instead, we decided to reward your pledges with rare pieces of jewellery, graphics, projects and events. Pelicon beer will be served at several of the events after the campagin.

Startup business usually comes with great idea and that is pretty much it. No history, no money and no experience. That is why a startup needs to cover its back with other people's experience and wisdom.
We know we are of young age and we might come across as a bit naive and unprepared but it is not quite so. We are not alone - as we already explained - we have a serious business partner with long line in this kind of industry. SK Group is making success since 1967 and we think that proofs something. Also we are all working professionals weather in the beverage, creative industry or tourism.
When we first thought of this project we decided to do it right and gather even more support from working professionals in brewing industry, just to have someone who can watch our backs.

Our brewing law is a bit old and when the government was writing it, they forgot to write a section for homebrewers or smaller breweries. So basically, homebrewing is on the edge of legal and smaller breweries are treated the same way as the bigger ones. That's why the brewer needs to be really determined, like we are, to go for it! It is not something you can do when you feel like it. That is why our country is a late-bloomer in craft beer industry. With no or very few homebrewers in the country there cannot be lots of craft breweries.
But the latest trends are showing a great optimism for our kind! And as they say - the more, the merrier!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £40 or more
About $64

A FRIEND:
With your help we’ll be able to make and distribute 26 beers! That’s exactly how old Matej’s going to be this March. You gave him the best b-day present EVER! Matej’ll send you a handmade card for your b-day to thank you! + Pelicon designer pin

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £80 or more
About $128

NEW!!! 4 person WEEKEND RETREAT (Sinji vrh - Monte Azzurro)! Friday-Sunday. Matej is inviting you to his cottage - 2 bedrooms, shared bathroom, kitchen, big dining and living room area with a romantic fire place & a cellar! The cottage is placed on a mountain with an amazing view - you can see the Venice if the skies are clear! (check the photo)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £315 or more
About $504

A RECIPE:
With your help, we’ll be able to make and distribute over 260 beers! Matej decided to share with you one of his PERSONAL RECIPES for delicious HOMEBREWED craft beer! You heard it correctly - excellent offer! + Short movie + Thank you label + UNIQUE ceramic brooch

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £780 or more
About $1,249

A TRAVELER:
With your help, we’ll be able to make and distribute at least 520 beers! That’s almost Out-of-China’s area code 52(7)0. Coincidence? I think not! You’ll get a SLEEPOVER, brewery TOUR & a day TRIP to one of the cities mentioned in the video!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £1,945 or more
About $3,115

A BREWER:
With your help, we’ll be able to make and distribute at least 1300 beers! A. LOT. It’s almost our whole batch! We’ll NAME ONE BATCH AFTER YOU and bottle it - you get to choose the name! + Short movie + Thank you label + UNIQUE ceramic brooch

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £3,890 or more
About $6,230

A PELICON: With your help, we’ll be able to make and distribute over 2600 beers!
You deserve to see the process in person and work in our brewery. You’ll get a week WORKSHOP with Matej, develop a recipe together & choose the name. You’ll be given a Pelicon Brewery diploma. + Short movie + Thank you label + UNIQUE ceramic brooch